The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-01-08
THE BOOKS THAT HAVE DONE MOST
FOR ME.

Since Sir John Lubbock and the Pail
Mall Gazette put their heads together to
frame list of the best hundred authors
the subject OF best and favorite authors
has received attention from several emil
nent literary men. John Ruskin's epis-
tie on Lubbock's list remains, and Is
likely to remain, the most utterly frank
and unique opinion the discussion has
called forth. Passing by a number Of
noways noteworthy expressions, attention
is arrested by the judgment delivered
from the high critical seat on which
Frederic Henry Hedge sits. DR.. Hedges
opinion was promulgated in the Forum.
It liz valuable as coming from rare and
profound scholar, from a natural critic,
whose aptness of literary discernment
has been cultivated by lifetime Of prac-
tice, and from man whose range of
acquaintance with the best authors is ex-
ceptionally broad. Whatever such man
sets down as his mature Judgment on the
value of books and the merits of authors
must have interest for thoughtful readers
and certain authority for all.
But DR.. Hedge has his limitations as a
judge Of literary wares. He accepts GER
tain canons that are not wholly trust
worthy. This is one: 1t is safe to say
that no book which attains immediate
and wide popularity is likely to possess
much solid and enduring worth" Not
quite safe, DR.. Hedge, in view OF many
notable exceptions. Among the works
con which the arch critic, Time, has set
his SEAL" DIR. Hedge mentions Don
Quixote," Gil Bias" Robinson CRU
soe," Gulliver's Travels" the " Arabian
Nights and " Pilgrims Progress" Now
every one OF these books obtained " im-
mediate and wide popularity" 1t was
the same with Scott's novels and his
poems, the former of which, DR.. Hedge
says, will always hold their place among
English classics" To the same category,
it may be presumed, he would refer
Goldsmith's Deserted Village" the i'm
mediate sale of which was immense.
Byron is included in DR.. Hedges list of
authors to be preferred to Southey, and
Byron was Immediately and widely pop
ular. Sakoontala," the choicest gem
of Oriental poetry" belongs to the class
of books that obtained immediate and
wide popularity, but which, DR.. Hedge
being the competent judge, possess en-
during worth. Not to cite long list OF
other examples, there are Gibbons great
history of the Decline and Fall Of the
Roman Empire" and Mscaulay's His
tory of England" each of which enjoyed
a sudden and extended fame.
As examples confrmetory of the above
canon, DR.. Hedge cites Dickens and Mrs.
Stowe. What author in our day has
been more popular than Dickens? But
Dickens is now comparatively little read:
the next generation will have forgotten
him." This is a capital instance of an
induction from personal rather than pub
lie data. Because Dickens is little read
by DR.. Hedge and other venerable wor-
thies who had their Dickens fever out
thirty years ago, he infers that Dickens
is little read by the public. But if he
had attended carefully to the history of
the discussion in which he now takes
hand, he would be too well informed to
make such statement. The English
reading public are appealed to on the
question of their favorite authors; direct
ors of the English and American libra
ries we're consulted on tie same point;
and it was found that Dickens, instead
of being little read, stands always very
near the head of the list and frequently
leads all others. "How few of our
youth now care for Uncle Toms Cab
in the most most popular book in its
day that was ever written" says DR..
Hedge. Let him consult the publishers.
Houghton and Miffiin, who re-issued that
story in response to popular call for it,
and who report now an unprecedented
sale of their several issues of the work
This does not prove that Uncle Toms
Cabin is book which possesses much
solid and enduring worth; but it does
prove that DIR. Hedges theory is falla-
cious.
Some other judgments expressed in the
article referred to invite criticism. 1t
seems rather narrow view, for instance,
which discerns in the whole catalogue of
American poets, novelists and essayists,
only one who is likely to survive with
undiminished reputs the first twenty
years of the twentieth century" Emer-
son has, indeed, {" the note and promise
of more enduring fame" but it would
be surprising if the popularity of Long
fellow, or Hawthorne, or Holmes, now SO
much wider than that of Emerson, should
fall behind his in thirty-three years
This, however, is the uncertain realm
of prophecy, and it may be permitted to
DIR. Hedge to exercise freedom there to
which many of us would not feel our
selves entitled. His observations are
generally sound as they are acute, and
the whole article may be read with profit
by any one who has something yet to
learn in regard to books and authors.
1 took up my pen, not to review DIR.
Hedges opinions, but to pursue a pur-
pose formed in the beginning of this
controversy and to which the closing
sentence in DIR. Hedges article recalled